diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index 324511082..f90d3bf5d 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -592,6 +592,10 @@
             <!-- Tell the slick runner where to store test results. -->
             <sysproperty key="net.java.sip.communicator.slick.runner.OUTPUT_DIR"
                          value="${test.reports.dir}"/>
+            <sysproperty key="net.java.sip.communicator.SC_HOME_DIR_LOCATION"
+                value="${test.reports.dir}"/>
+            <sysproperty key="net.java.sip.communicator.SC_HOME_DIR_NAME"
+                value="schome"/>
 
             <!-- Tell the slick runner which Test classes to run. -->
             <sysproperty key="net.java.sip.communicator.slick.runner.TEST_LIST"
@@ -689,6 +693,10 @@
             <!-- Tell the slick runner where to store test results. -->
             <sysproperty key="net.java.sip.communicator.slick.runner.OUTPUT_DIR"
                          value="${test.reports.dir}"/>
+            <sysproperty key="net.java.sip.communicator.SC_HOME_DIR_LOCATION"
+                value="${test.reports.dir}"/>
+            <sysproperty key="net.java.sip.communicator.SC_HOME_DIR_NAME"
+                value="schome"/>
 
             <!-- use a meta contact list file different to normal client. -->
             <sysproperty key="net.java.sip.communicator.CONTACTLIST_FILE_NAME"
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/history/HistoryServiceImpl.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/history/HistoryServiceImpl.java
index e4139d91c..4555730d2 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/history/HistoryServiceImpl.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/history/HistoryServiceImpl.java
@@ -94,13 +94,14 @@ public Iterator<HistoryID> getExistingIDs()
         List<File> vect = new Vector<File>();
         File histDir = null;
         try {
-            String userSetDataDirectory = System.getProperty("HistoryServiceDirectory");
-            if(userSetDataDirectory != null)
-                histDir = this.fileAccessService
-                    .getPrivatePersistentDirectory(userSetDataDirectory);
-            else
-                histDir = this.fileAccessService
-                    .getPrivatePersistentDirectory(DATA_DIRECTORY);
+            String userSetDataDirectory
+                = System.getProperty("HistoryServiceDirectory");
+
+            histDir
+                = getFileAccessService().getPrivatePersistentDirectory(
+                        (userSetDataDirectory == null)
+                            ? DATA_DIRECTORY
+                            : userSetDataDirectory);
 
             findDatFiles(vect, histDir);
         } catch (Exception e)
@@ -259,15 +260,20 @@ private File createHistoryDirectories(HistoryID id)
         System.arraycopy(idComponents, 0, dirs, 1, dirs.length - 1);
 
         File directory = null;
-        try {
-            directory = this.fileAccessService
-                    .getPrivatePersistentDirectory(dirs);
-        } catch (Exception e)
+        try
         {
-            throw (IOException) new IOException(
-                    "Could not create history due to file system error")
-                    .initCause(e);
-            }
+            directory
+                = getFileAccessService().getPrivatePersistentDirectory(dirs);
+        }
+        catch (Exception e)
+        {
+            IOException ioe
+                = new IOException(
+                        "Could not create history due to file system error");
+
+            ioe.initCause(e);
+            throw ioe;
+        }
 
         if (!directory.exists() && !directory.mkdirs())
         {
@@ -363,13 +369,9 @@ private static ConfigurationService getConfigurationService(
     }
 
     private static FileAccessService getFileAccessService(
-        BundleContext bundleContext)
+            BundleContext bundleContext)
     {
-        ServiceReference serviceReference =
-            bundleContext
-                .getServiceReference(FileAccessService.class.getName());
-        return (serviceReference == null) ? null
-            : (FileAccessService) bundleContext.getService(serviceReference);
+        return ServiceUtils.getService(bundleContext, FileAccessService.class);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -416,9 +418,7 @@ private File getDirForHistory(HistoryID id)
         for (int i = 0; i < dirNames.length; i++)
         {
             if (i > 0)
-            {
                 dirName.append(File.separatorChar);
-            }
             dirName.append(dirNames[i]);
         }
 
@@ -426,18 +426,16 @@ private File getDirForHistory(HistoryID id)
         File histDir = null;
         try
         {
-            String userSetDataDirectory =
-                System.getProperty("HistoryServiceDirectory");
-
-            if(userSetDataDirectory != null)
-                histDir = this.fileAccessService
-                    .getPrivatePersistentDirectory(userSetDataDirectory);
-            else
-                histDir = this.fileAccessService
-                    .getPrivatePersistentDirectory(DATA_DIRECTORY);
-
-
-        } catch (Exception e)
+            String userSetDataDirectory
+                = System.getProperty("HistoryServiceDirectory");
+
+            histDir
+                = getFileAccessService().getPrivatePersistentDirectory(
+                        (userSetDataDirectory == null)
+                            ? DATA_DIRECTORY
+                            : userSetDataDirectory);
+        }
+        catch (Exception e)
         {
             logger.error("Error opening directory", e);
         }